Seriously underwhelmed by the 8 series.

[KhunJay]

As Im on a 5S (running perfectly)….I was toying with the idea of a new phone with a fast chip. So I wandered into the store to have a play with both the 8 iphones. Was happy that I was the only one there….but that's where my joy turned to disappointment.

Got turned off by the glass covered body….it gives the phones a glossy look that feels tacky to me. Much prefer the matt feel of the ip7. The size of the 8S is, to put it mildly, unwieldy. I tried to type a sms with one hand and it was difficult to balance. So even the cool camera knick knacks inside cannot mitigate this basic flaw for me.

Moving on to the 8, size is right but there was something funky about the home button…it just didnt have the tactile sensation Im used to with the 5S…have they changed it. The one I tried didnt have any feedback to it …so it was hard to tell if I had pressed the button….morever it felt a bit crunchy….almost as if it was loose….I hope this was just the sample phone….because I'd hate to get a phone with a home button like that.

Then I compared the ip7 specs and people here are right, in that the specs are almost identical to the 8. Plus it looks better to me.

So now Im left with the question ip7 or ipX? Might as well look at the X.

I wonder if apple had planned to create a ho hum update in the 8 series, to push people to the X…..if so that is really taking the piss.

 

[Darkashnet]

It’s becoming more and more clear why Apple is continuing to sell the 7 and the 6S - people’s preferences vary widely. I upgraded to a 8+ from a 6S and I’m very happy. Love the glass back and the “old design” doesn’t bother me. That notch does though.

This is my first time with a plus (so I guess that makes it a little more “new” for me) and I like the size, although I do have big hands.

I thought the same about the home button when I played with it last year in the 7, but it only takes a hour to get used to.

I’m glad they did the 8, otherwise I’d be hanging into my 6S for another year.

 

[davelees76]

I love the haptic home button personally.

The mostly glass construction and slightly more weight makes the 8 feel that much more expensive and substantial than the 7.

 

[Jawnathin]

Not surprised you were overwhelmed by the size. The 5S is one of the smaller devices and you compared it to the newest and biggest. I have a standard 6S and I think the plus screens are huge.

Looks are subjective but 8 is definitely cleaner than the 7. The glass back and reduced antenna lines go a long way (my biggest complaint with the 6/6S, less so on the 7). My personal favorite is the 5S/SE in silver, but IMO the 8 is the best looking of the 6-7-8 family.

Feature wise the 7 and 8 are comparable. But so is just about every upgrade from the one right before it. IMO the 7 wasn’t a big upgrade from a 6S and that wasn’t a big upgrade from the 6. But over a few generations you end up getting a huge upgrade.

I’m torn between the SG 8+ I picked up this evening or the Red 7+ arriving on Monday. Will be giving the 8+ a test run to see if it’s worth keeping but so far so good.

 

[pdxmatts]

As Im on a 5S (running perfectly)….I was toying with the idea of a new phone with a fast chip. So I wandered into the store to have a play with both the 8 iphones. Was happy that I was the only one there….but that's where my joy turned to disappointment.

Got turned off by the glass covered body….it gives the phones a glossy look that feels tacky to me. Much prefer the matt feel of the ip7. The size of the 8S is, to put it mildly, unwieldy. I tried to type a sms with one hand and it was difficult to balance. So even the cool camera knick knacks inside cannot mitigate this basic flaw for me.

Moving on to the 8, size is right but there was something funky about the home button…it just didnt have the tactile sensation Im used to with the 5S…have they changed it. The one I tried didnt have any feedback to it …so it was hard to tell if I had pressed the button….morever it felt a bit crunchy….almost as if it was loose….I hope this was just the sample phone….because I'd hate to get a phone with a home button like that.

Then I compared the ip7 specs and people here are right, in that the specs are almost identical to the 8. Plus it looks better to me.

So now Im left with the question ip7 or ipX? Might as well look at the X.

I wonder if apple had planned to create a ho hum update in the 8 series, to push people to the X…..if so that is really taking the piss.

The home button was changed to stationary on the 7/7S with haptic feedback. (You can change the intensity) It doesn't push down, there would be no crunchyness to it. Maybe you should check out the SE?

 

[Jawnathin]

The home button was changed to stationary with haptic feedback. (You change change the intensity) It doesn't push down, there would be no crunchyness to it.

And the 7 will be exactly the same way.

 

[mackinmike]

What experience were you hoping for besides a larger screen? Everything else is pretty much the same except that it's faster, better camera, etc.

 

[pdxmatts]

I’m torn between the SG 8+ I picked up this evening or the Red 7+ arriving on Monday. Will be giving the 8+ a test run to see if it’s worth keeping but so far so good.

Please come back when you get the Red 7+ to compare to the 8+. I am so tempted to get the Red 7+. I think it's a beautiful limited edition and weighs less than my 6S+ and the 8+. I just can't decide what I am going to do. 7/8/10?

 

[KhunJay]

What experience were you hoping for besides a larger screen? Everything else is pretty much the same except that it's faster, better camera, etc.

was attracted by the new chip and iOS….won't put iOS 11 on 5S or Im sure it will slow to a crawl.

 

[txjeep]

To each his own. I like both the glass back and the home button. Coming from the 6+, the 8+ is a very nice upgrade imo.

 

[44267547]

I love the haptic home button personally.

The mostly glass construction and slightly more weight makes the 8 feel that much more expensive and substantial than the 7.

I think the glass back gives the iPhone more of a premium appeal away from the aluminum. I also like the haptic home button, which assisted with the water resistance rating.

 

[Patriks7]

was attracted by the new chip and iOS….won't put iOS 11 on 5S or Im sure it will slow to a crawl.

Just FYI, I put iOS 11 on my moms 5S and it seems to work pretty much just like under iOS 10, at least in the basic apps she uses that I tried out real quick. But she doesn't really use it for much more than texting and the occasional web browsing.

 

[bopajuice]

Not surprised you were overwhelmed by the size. The 5S is one of the smaller devices and you compared it to the newest and biggest. I have a standard 6S and I think the plus screens are huge.

Looks are subjective but 8 is definitely cleaner than the 7. The glass back and reduced antenna lines go a long way (my biggest complaint with the 6/6S, less so on the 7). My personal favorite is the 5S/SE in silver, but IMO the 8 is the best looking of the 6-7-8 family.

Feature wise the 7 and 8 are comparable. But so is just about every upgrade from the one right before it. IMO the 7 wasn’t a big upgrade from a 6S and that wasn’t a big upgrade from the 6. But over a few generations you end up getting a huge upgrade.

I’m torn between the SG 8+ I picked up this evening or the Red 7+ arriving on Monday. Will be giving the 8+ a test run to see if it’s worth keeping but so far so good.

I do no agree. The 6 and 7 are different animals. I had them both. The eight Looks the same but takes the glass back from the 4 (old design). Other than wireless charging I see very little difference. Pleas explain what you mean by cleaner? My 7 plus looks every bit as sleek and thin, and LIGHTER than the Eight. Nonsense.

 

[Alexander.Of.Oz]

I've just come from a 6 and the 8 plus is a HUGE improvement! Love the glass back and front, the wireless charging, the much better camera (when operated through a third party app), the haptic feedback and 3-D touch, just to name a few of the features, there's probably more I'll discover yet.

 

[Jawnathin]

I do no agree. The 6 and 7 are different animals. I had them both. The eight Looks the same but takes the glass back from the 4 (old design). Other than wireless charging I see very little difference. Pleas explain what you mean by cleaner? My 7 plus looks every bit as sleek and thin, and LIGHTER than the Eight. Nonsense.

The 6 and 7 are pretty identical. Besides less antenna lines and camera housing they’re the same look. Taking your comment a step further, besides the extra camera on the Plus and missing the headphone jack, the 7 offers very little over a 6S.

The 7 and 8 are very similar in design too. But the 8 has practically no antenna lines, a glossy glass back, and the removal of regulatory text makes for a cleaner appearance than the 7.

 

[jabingla2810]

The 6 and 7 are pretty identical. Besides less antenna lines and camera housing they’re the same look. Taking your comment a step further, besides the extra camera on the Plus and missing the headphone jack, the 7 offers very little over a 6S.
.

How about a wide colour display?
Or an improved 7MP 1080p front camera?
Or optical image stabilisation on the rear camera?
Or an improved sensor for wide colour on the camera?
Or the dual stereo speakers?
Or the water and dust resistance?
Or the 2 extra hours of battery life?

 

[bopajuice]

The 6 and 7 are pretty identical. Besides less antenna lines and camera housing they’re the same look. Taking your comment a step further, besides the extra camera on the Plus and missing the headphone jack, the 7 offers very little over a 6S.

The 7 and 8 are very similar in design too. But the 8 has practically no antenna lines, a glossy glass back, and the removal of regulatory text makes for a cleaner appearance than the 7.

Regulatory text? Seriously? I can’t even read what it says without a magnifying glass. Am i missing something? I am looking at my phone right now... My 7 plus has a glossy black back.. My 7 has ZERO antenna lines. It’s glossy, shiny, or whatever. No lines at all. Besides, put a case on it and who would know? lame comparison.

 

[44267547]

How about a wide colour display?
Or an improved 7MP 1080p front camera?
Or optical image stabilisation on the rear camera?
Or an improved sensor for wide colour on the camera?
Or the dual stereo speakers?
Or the water and dust resistance?
Or the 2 extra hours of battery life?

Completely agree with what you have listed. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 have quite a few differences between them, more significantly, the 7 is much faster over the iPhone 6 and even notably over the iPhone 6s.

 

[jabingla2810]

Completely agree with what you have listed. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 have quite a few differences between them, more significantly, the 7 is much faster over the iPhone 6 and even notably over the iPhone 6s.

The differences I listed are the differences between the 6S and 7.

 

[Jawnathin]

How about a wide colour display?
Or an improved 7MP 1080p front camera?
Or optical image stabilisation on the rear camera?
Or an improved sensor for wide colour on the camera?
Or the dual stereo speakers?
Or the water and dust resistance?
Or the 2 extra hours of battery life?

OIS was from the 6S. And those are all minor features. The 8 has a bunch of those over the 7 too but none of them are really a huge deal.

True Tone display
HDR10 & Dolby Vision video support
Improved rear camera sensor and support for slow sync flash
Portrait Lighting
4k @ 60fps & 1080p @ 240fps
Fast Charging & Wireless charging

See? Same thing.

I just find it ironic that people with a 7 are so dismissive of the 'minor updates' on an 8, because that is what the 7 was to the 6S.

 

[44267547]

The differences I listed are the differences between the 6S and 7.

I'm aware of that. But the OP you quoted stated "6 and 7" are identical. Regardless if if they meant aesthetics or internally, the differences are significant between those two generations of iPhones, which is indicated the noted changes.

 

[Jawnathin]

I'm aware of that. But the OP you quoted stated "6 and 7" are identical. Regardless if if they meant aesthetics or internally, the differences are significant between those two generations of iPhones, which is indicated the noted changes.

The 6S and 7 are not that different. Year to year updates on phones are very minor. With how good the 6S was, I don't consider it to be all that different from the 8 which is another step ahead of the 7. Yes, each newer model is better than the last since it has a few small new features but overall they're pretty much the same thing.

 

[jabingla2810]

OIS was from the 6S. And those are all minor features. The 8 has a bunch of those over the 7 too but none of them are really a huge deal.

True Tone display
HDR10 & Dolby Vision video support
Improved rear camera sensor and support for slow sync flash
Portrait Lighting
4k @ 60fps & 1080p @ 240fps
Fast Charging & Wireless charging

See? Same thing.

I just find it ironic that people with a 7 are so dismissive of the 'minor updates' on an 8, because that is what the 7 was to the 6S.

OIS wasn’t on the iPhone 6s.

It happens each year, people who have spent a year with the latest and greatest try to convince themselves that this year it’s only minor changes.

 

[44267547]

The 6S and 7 are not that different. Year to year updates on phones are very minor. With how good the 6S was, I don't consider it to be all that different from the 8 which is another step ahead of the 7. Yes, each newer model is better than the last since it has a few small new features but overall they're pretty much the same thing.

I don't think the iPhone 6s and 7 are all that 'different' from each other physically, but there are some very notable features that the 7 does have that the 6s does not have with the stereo speakers and dual camera capabilities. In my opinion, those two features alone make the iPhone 7 a highlight over the 6S. Everything else with the processor, water resistance and battery improvements, yes, those are something that are usually expected to improve every year.

 

[Jawnathin]

OIS wasn’t on the iPhone 6s.

It happens each year, people who have spent a year with the latest and greatest try to convince themselves that this year it’s only minor changes.

It was first added to the 6S Plus. The 7 was not the first iPhone with OIS.

And I'm not clear what your 2nd point was referring to.

EDIT: Actually the first with OIS was the 6 Plus.

[doublepost=1506158189][/doublepost]

Regulatory text? Seriously? I can’t even read what it says without a magnifying glass. Am i missing something? I am looking at my phone right now... My 7 plus has a glossy black back.. My 7 has ZERO antenna lines. It’s glossy, shiny, or whatever. No lines at all. Besides, put a case on it and who would know? lame comparison.

The 7 has antenna lines that wrap around the top and bottom of the device. On some colors it is less visible but they are still there. On some other colors they stick our like a sore thumb. The 6 and 6S were the worst at it and made them the least attractive design since the 3G days. The removed regulatory text may be small but one phone has them the other does not. Not having it is a cleaner design. The new rear glass is a fresh look from the last 5 years of aluminum backs and it doesn't scratch nearly as easy as the Jet Black that I assume you have. The glass also adds a sense of depth to the rear shell that was missing with the aluminum.

You can downplay or disagree whatever you like but you did ask why I said the 8 was cleaner looking than the 7. It is OK if you like the 7 more, I think it looks nice too, especially the Red. But I also think the 8 has a cleaner looking design than the 7.
[doublepost=1506159071][/doublepost]

I don't think the iPhone 6s and 7 are all that 'different' from each other physically, but there are some very notable features that the 7 does have that the 6s does not have with the stereo speakers and dual camera capabilities. In my opinion, those two features alone make the iPhone 7 a highlight over the 6S. Everything else with the processor, water resistance and battery improvements, yes, those are something that are usually expected to improve every year.

I agree those are nice features, I've been enjoying the stereo speakers on the 8 very much. I personally don't consider them significant enough to say that the 7 was a major update over the 6S. You can still listen to your videos and take good pictures with either phone, just one is better at it than another. Maybe a good analogy with the 8 is wireless charging and the new video modes. Yeah it is nice the 8 can do those things, but the 7 can still charge the normal way and still record high quality videos. In the end they pretty much do the same thing and look the same.

But I understand your position and why you think those are important, so if we disagree that is OK. We simply view features with different levels of significance.